Image pickup apparatus and solid state image pickup device

Abstract

An image pickup device is operated in a thinning mode, an image pickup signal is supplied to a liquid crystal display, and a pickup image is displayed (monitoring mode). The image pickup device is operated in a progressive scan reading mode and the image pickup signal is written into a DRAM (first recording mode). After completion of the writing, data compressed by an encoder/decoder is written into a flash memory and the image pickup signal is displayed (second recording mode). The image pickup signal is read out from the flash memory and decoded and written into the DRAM and the image pickup signal is displayed (first reproducing mode). The data is thinned and read out from the DRAM and displayed (second reproducing mode). A switching operation of those modes is controlled by a data switcher and a microcomputer.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An image pickup apparatus comprising: 
 a solid state image pickup device which can operate in a first image pickup mode for performing a reading operation of pixels of a first number of lines at a first period and a second image pickup mode for performing a reading operation of pixels of a number of lines smaller than said first number of lines at a second period different from said first period;    image signal forming means for forming an image signal from an output signal of said solid state image pickup device;    display means which can display an image signal at a period concerning said second period;    storing means for storing said image signal;    switching means for switching a connecting relation among said image signal forming means, said display means, and said storing means so as to enable a transfer of said image signal between any two of said image signal forming means, said display means, and said storing means; and    control means for setting a first recording mode to control so that said solid state image pickup device operates in said first image pickup mode and to control said switching means so as to connect said image signal forming means and said storing means when said image signal is stored into said memory means, and, for immediately shifting to a second recording mode to control so that said solid state image pickup device operates in said second operating mode and to control said switching means so as to connect said image signal forming means and said display means when said image signal is stored into said storing means in said first recording mode.    
     
     
         2 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising: 
 compressing means for compressing a data amount of said image signal to form a compressed image signal; and    recording means for recording said compressed image signal.    
     
     
         3 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein in said second recording mode, said control means supplies the image signal stored in said storing means to said compressing means and allows said image signal to be compressed and allows said compressed image signal to be recorded to said recording means.  
     
     
         4 . An apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein said recording means records said compressed image signal onto a detachable recording medium.  
     
     
         5 . An apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein said control means sets a first reproducing mode to control said solid state image pickup device so as to operate in said second image pickup mode, to control said switching means so as to connect said storing means and said display means, to decompress the compressed image signal read out from said recording means by said compressing means, to set the decompressed image signal to said image signal, and to store said image signal into said storing means when said compressed image signal is read from said recording means and, immediately shifts to a second reproducing mode to control said switching means so as to connect said storing means and said display means when said image signal is stored in said storing means in said first reproducing mode.  
     
     
         6 . An apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein in said second reproducing mode, said control means thinnes the image signal stored in said storing means and reads out the thinned image signal.  
     
     
         7 . An apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said-image signal forming means includes: 
 luminance signal forming means for forming a digital luminance signal of a first clock rate of a first bit width from the output signal of said solid state image pickup device;    chrominance signal forming means for forming a digital chrominance signal of a clock rate of ½ of said first clock rate of said first bit width from the output signal of said solid state image pickup device; and    a multiplexer for multiplexing said digital luminance signal and said digital chrominance signal and generating the multiplexed signal on the basis of a clock rate which is {fraction (3/2)} times as high as said first clock rate.    
     
     
         8 . An apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein said digital chrominance signal is a signal in which a first digital color difference signal and a second digital color difference signal are multiplexed.  
     
     
         9 . An image pickup apparatus comprising: 
 a solid state image pickup device which can operate in a first image pickup mode for performing a reading operation of pixels of a first number of lines at a first period and a second image pickup mode for performing a reading operation of pixels of a number of lines smaller than said first number of lines at a second period different from said first period;    image signal forming means for forming an image signal from an output signal of said solid state image pickup device;    storing means for storing the image signal;    a coupling terminal which is connected to display means which can display an image signal at a period concerning said second period;    switching means for switching a connecting relation among said image signal forming means, said coupling terminal, and said storing means so as to enable a transfer of said image signal between any two of said image signal forming means, said coupling terminal, and said storing means; and    control means for setting a first recording mode to control so that said solid state image pickup device operates in said first image pickup mode and to control said switching means so as to connect said image signal forming means and said storing means when said image signal is stored into said memory means, and, for immediately shifting to a second recording mode to control so that said solid state image pickup device operates in said second operating mode and to control said switching means so as to connect said image signal forming means and said coupling terminal when said image signal is stored into said storing means in said first recording mode.    
     
     
         10 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , further comprising: 
 compressing means for compressing a data amount of said image signal to form a compressed image signal; and    recording means for recording said compressed image signal.    
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein in said second recording mode, said control means supplies the image signal stored in said storing means to said compressing means and allows said image signal to be compressed and allows said compressed image signal to be recorded to said recording means.  
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said recording means records said compressed image signal onto a detachable recording medium.  
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein said control means sets a first reproducing mode to control said solid state image pickup device so as to operate in said second image pickup mode to control said switching means so as to connect said storing means and said connecting terminal, to decompress the compressed image signal read out from said recording means by said compressing means, to set the decompressed image signal to said image signal, and to store said image signal into said storing means and, when said compressed image signal is read from said recording means, immediately shifts to a second reproducing mode to control said switching means so as to connect said storing means and said connecting terminal when said image signal is stored in said storing means in said first reproducing mode.  
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein in said second reproducing mode, said control means thinnes the image signal stored in said storing means and reads out the thinned image signal.  
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 9 , wherein said image signal forming means includes: 
 luminance signal forming means for forming a digital luminance signal of a first clock rate of a first bit width from the output signal of said solid state image pickup device;    chrominance signal forming means for forming a digital chrominance signal of a clock rate of ½ of said first clock rate of said first bit width from the output signal of said solid state image pickup device; and    a multiplexer for multiplexing said digital luminance signal and said digital chrominance signal and generating the multiplexed signal on the basis of a clock rate which is {fraction (3/2)} times as high as said first clock rate.    
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said digital chrominance signal is a signal in which a first digital color difference signal and a second digital color difference signal are multiplexed.  
     
     
         17 . A solid state image pickup device of an interline system, comprising: 
 a plurality of photosensors which are arranged in a matrix form and into which the lights transmitted through a plurality of color filters which are repeated in the vertical direction at a period of N (N is a natural number) pixels are inputted;    a vertical transfer unit for transferring charges read out from said plurality of photosensors without mixing charges from said photosensors continuously arranged in the vertical direction;    a horizontal transfer unit, coupled to said vertical transfer unit, for generating the charges transferred from said vertical transfer unit at one horizontal period;    a first signal supplying unit in which one unit is constructed by m (m is a natural number) first photosensor groups which are continuously arranged in the vertical direction and second photosensor groups of the number that is a (a is a natural number) times as large as said pixel period N which are continuously arranged in the vertical direction, said first photosensor groups and said second photosensor groups are alternately arranged in the vertical direction, and which is used for transferring the charges accumulated in said first photosensor groups to said vertical transfer unit; and    a second signal supplying unit for transferring the charges accumulated in said second photosensor groups to said vertical transfer unit,    wherein said first signal supplying unit and said second signal supplying unit are independently provided.    
     
     
         18 . A device according to  claim 17 , further having driving signal forming means for forming driving signals which are inputted to said first and second signal supplying units and drive said vertical transfer unit and said horizontal transfer unit, 
 and wherein said driving signal forming means forms a line shift signal as said driving signal to transfer said charges from said vertical transfer unit to said horizontal transfer unit for a horizontal blanking period.    
     
     
         19 . A device according to  claim 18 , wherein said driving signal forming means can selectively switch 
 a first operating mode to read out the charges of all pixels by supplying the driving signals to said first and second signal supplying units and    a second operating mode to form the driving signal to drive only said first signal supplying unit.    
     
     
         20 . A device according to  claim 18 , wherein said driving signal forming means forms said line shift signal (m+N*a) times as a whole for m continuous horizontal blanking periods so that the charges of (m+N*a) lines are generated for m horizontal periods.  
     
     
         21 . A device according to  claim 18 , wherein when one pixel included in a certain first photosensor group is considered as a first pixel, said driving signal forming means forms the line shift signal in a manner such that the charges of a second pixel which is included in said certain first photosensor group and is adjacent to said first pixel in an upper or lower direction and the charges of said first pixel are transferred from said vertical transfer unit to said horizontal transfer unit for different horizontal blanking periods, respectively.  
     
     
         22 . A device according to  claim 21 , wherein when a pixel which is included in said certain first photosensor group and is adjacent to said first pixel in the upper direction is set to said second pixel and a pixel which is adjacent to said first pixel in the lower direction is set to a third pixel, 
 between said second and third pixels, with respect to the pixel in which a physical distance from said first pixel is longer, in a manner such that the charges of said pixel of the longer physical distance and the pixels locating between said pixel and said first pixel are added to the charges of said first pixel or said pixel of said longer physical distance, said driving signal forming means forms at least two line shift signals for a horizontal blanking period during which the charges of said pixel of the longer physical distance are transferred from said vertical transfer unit to said horizontal transfer unit.    
     
     
         23 . A device according to  claim 18 , wherein said driving signal forming means forms the same number of line shift signals for each horizontal period.  
     
     
         24 . A device according to  claim 17 , wherein said N differs on each unit basis.  
     
     
         25 . A device according to  claim 17 , wherein said N is equal to a 2-unit period and is set in accordance with the order of 2 and 4 every unit.  
     
     
         26 . A device according to  claim 17 , wherein said N is fixed to 2 in any unit.  
     
     
         27 . A device according to  claim 18 , wherein when m=1 or 2, 
 said driving signal forming means forms [(N*a/m)+1] line shift signals for each horizontal blanking period,    so that the charges of the pixels of one line including the signal charges and the charges of the pixels of (N*a/m) lines which don't include the signal charges are mixed in said horizontal transfer unit.